This invention relates to a bathtub having an integrated front apron, and in particular, to a bathtub having a front apron and can be stacked in a nested arrangement for shipment, and further includes a strip and locking clip assembly for use in mounting the bathtub when installed.
Bathtubs that are molded with an integral apron front typically include apron supports or struts extending between the apron and tub to stabilize the apron. However, such apron supports prevent this design of tub from being nested or stacked for shipment. Accordingly, such bathtubs are typically packaged individually in a single carton. Although this makes it easy for a homeowner to easily purchase, pick up, deliver, and install such a bathtub, it is not convenient for a contractor working on a job site with a large number of bathtubs to install, such as in a high rise hotel. The contractor must take each individual bathtub to its location, or find some place to stack the bathtubs, and then unwrap each bathtub and dispose of the packaging. This can be very inconvenient and time inefficient.
Accordingly, it is an object of the subject invention to provide a bathtub having a front apron that can be nested and stacked for easier shipment and delivery to the job site. A further object of the invention is to reduce packaging weight and waste by shipping and delivering bathtubs in a nested stacked arrangement rather than individually wrapped. A further object of the invention is that skids of the nested and stacked bathtub can be double stacked, which in one embodiment would provide 20 bathtubs in the same footprint of five standard bathtubs on a truck. It is a further object of the invention to provide a system and components for mounting and stabilizing an apron not having supports or struts, when installing such a tub at the desired installation location.